Trap nest



y Feb. e, 1923. A Y 1,444,629

E. c. MILL-.ER

TRAP Nasr Filed Aug. 2, 1931 I elo, ti.

fraai? nner.

Application filed Alnigust 2, 1921. Serial No. 489,237.

To all 'wim/m, t may cof/tecra:

fie knofn that ldnwnt (j. Minnen, a

State of lilashington, have invented a new and useful Trap Nest, of which the following is a specification.

rThis inve tion relates to improvements in nests. and the principal object of the ntion is to provide a trap nest by means nich fowls will trap themselves upon enig same to deposit eOos and thus afforda means whereby a record may be kept ach fowl and each egg which is laid by fowls.

Further objects of the invention are to provide a trap nest which is simple and economic in construction, positive and efficient in operation, and in which there are 2O no triggers, wires or other 'obstacles on which the nest straw would catch and tend to prevent the proper function of said trap nest.

EN ith the above and'other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention consists of the novel construction, adaptation, arrangement and combination of parts hereinafter described and claimed.

rhese objects are accomplished by devices illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein- Figure 1 is a view in perspective of a trap nest embodying the features of the invention, with parts of the housing broken away;

Fig. 2 is a view in central longitudinal vertical section of same; and

Fig. 3 is a view in front elevation.

49 Referring to the drawings, throughout which like numerals designate like parts, the numeral 10 designates the housing which is rectangular in shape and is ordinarily open at its top and front ends and is preferably constructed of wood.

A transverse strip 11 is secured to the bottom of the front end of the housing 10 and a transverse spacer strip 12 is secured at the top corners of said front end between the sides thereof. A cleat 13 is secured to the floor and sides of said housing at a point substantially midway between the front and rear ends thereof.

A trap door 1e, provided at its lateral ends with arms 15 which are pivotally secured, as at 16, tothe sides' of the housing 10, is arranged, in conjunction with the cleat 13, to divide said housing into two function* ally separate compartments 17 and 18 when disposed in its normal position as shown in full lines in Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings. rEhe trap door 111 is made of two boards 19 and 20 fastened together and angularly disposed to one another and the inner ends of the arms 15 are fastened to the under sides of said boards where they join as shown in the drawings. Angular sheet metal plates 21 are secured to the outer sides of said boards and arms to strengthen same. A substantially semi-circular opening 22 is provided in the lower side of the board 20 and stops 23 arranged to fit in holes 2li are provided in the sides of the housing 10 for limiting the downward movement of said trap door as more fully `hereinafter described.

The trap nests are ordinarily placed between rows of shelves or they are superimposed one upon the other with the upper shelf or the floor ofthe upper trap nest serving as a top for the under trap. By this arrangement no tops are required for the trap nests and consequently they may` be readily removed and cleaned.

ln the operation of my device, the fowl enters the compartment 1'?, and, upon seethe nest in the compartment 18 `through the opening 22, she will pass into said cornpartment through said opening' and in doing so her back will raise the trap door 14 about the pivots 16 until the center of gravity of said trap door passes forwardv of said pivots when said trap door will fall to the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2 of the drawings with the board 19 resting on lthe strip 11 and the fowl will be trapped in the nest. In practice, said trap door usually strikes the fowls tail feathers in the act of falling upon the strip 11 which serves to break its fall and also as an in-` centive to the fowl to enter the laying compartment 18.

After the fowl has deposited her egg the attendant raises the trap door 1/1 to a substantially vertical position, removes the fowl, and registers the identification mark shown on her leg band. In this way an exact record of each bowl may be kept and the poor layers may be eliminated.

The trap door 141 and arms 15 are so de signed Idnd the pivots 16 sie so disposed as to maintain the oofi'eet balance oir' said trop door consistent with the size of the ioWis using the tmp nest, and it Wiii he obvious that this 'ieatuie may sise oe regulated hy ing the stops to different holes 2d.

,Moin the foregoing desoiiption token in connection with the accompanying drawn ings the forni of construction -and method of operation oi iny tifzip nest will he readily zippo-rent to those siiiied in the uit to which the invention reiates, and, Whiie have described the principio of operation of the. invention together with the device which now considei' to he the hesteinhodinient thei'ooi, it Wiii he understood that the apparatus shown is ineieiy iiiusti'ative and that such changes nitty resorted to as sie Within the scope sind spirit of the invention.

i. ifi. trop nest ooinpifising e housing open y st one end to constitute the entrance, s, trap dooie' Within the housing having first sindv second boards disposed at an angie to each othei, ain'is pivoted to the housing and st one end Crossing the junction Eine oip the hosids and being in Contact with each boord wherebyv the door is iigidiiied, the iist hooi-d in one position adopted to be suhstan* tiziiiy vertically disposed with the second hoard extending upwardly thereioni and toward the entrance, said first boord adapted to he shifted by Contact With the body oi" s fowl passing beneath the seine to dispose the center of gssvity of the door on tne other side oic the iuiciuin of the dooia Wheneby the second hoofd will he substantially veiitiesily disposed and the iist boaid will extend inwei'diy and upvvsdiy sway fiom the enti-snee.

2. trop eotopiising s, housing open st one end to constitute the entisnoe, s trop doo-i1 Within the housing having first and second ho eds disposed st en angie to each other, 2 'is pivoted to the housing and at one end crossing the junction line ofthe hosids and being in Contact with each bosid Wheiehy the dooiis igidiiied, the rst noaid in one position adopted to he .suhstsn 'feiiy ver easily disposed With the second hor/.ind eff' nding upwardly theieiioni `and toward entrance, said iist hoard adopted to he shifted hy Contact with the bodyo s ion/*i passing beneath the saine heine` out sway to facilitate entrance oi: the io i it rising troni the heise of :he

in oiineinent With the iist hoeid in t position, the housing being open at its top, sind e. strip et the entionoe to the housing constituting s rest for the second Weli its second mentioned position.

EDWIN C, Mrfi'dlid. 

